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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511423">district jewels</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/clovescato/pseuds/clovescato'>clovescato</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies), The Hunger Games (Movies) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Clato - Freeform, F/F, Fan - Freeform, Fanfiction, Glove, Hunger Games, Marvel - Freeform, Peeta - Freeform, cato - Freeform, climmer, clove, crackship, everlark, fan fiction, glato, glimmer - Freeform, hunger games fan fiction, katniss - Freeform, katnisseverdeen, peetamellark, the hunger games - Freeform, the hunger games fan fiction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:14:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511423</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/clovescato/pseuds/clovescato</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞. 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐣𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥, 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬. 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨."</p><p>Glimmer Belcourt is known for her strength and beauty throughout District One, and it's a powerful weapon for her sponsors, since she's volunteering for the 74th Hunger Games. While in the capitol, she meets Clove Taylor during training. And even though Glimmer is smart, she didn't know where her beauty can take her, or how it can drag her down. </p><p>Clove Taylor is a trouble maker in District Two, but she's very fast and smart, a perfect tribute for the Hunger Games. During her years of training in the Districts Academy, she knows what her destiny is. So when she volunteers, she couldn't see the misfortune ahead of her, because falling for someone in the Hunger Games means automatic death. But Clove knows, she gets what she wants, and she won't let her love go down with her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cato/Glimmer (Hunger Games), Clove/Glimmer (Hunger Games), Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Best of the Hunger Games Collection, Hunger Games AUs, Hunger games</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the reaping (glimmer)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smoke from the iron rises high into the air, the metal flattening out the dress that I will wear to the reaping. A vibrant pink dress with fluffy ruffles. It's a nasty looking thing, even for District One. I can't stop giving my mom the evil eye. </p><p>"Oh, I don't know why you hate it that much! It's beautiful, look!" She sits the iron back on the golden table and traces her calloused fingers along the fabric. Her hands are wobbly from years at the needle and thread, and her eyesight has gone bad from repairing the tiny stitches in the clothing we make for the capitol. Maybe that's why she picked out such a gross dress from the shop.</p><p>"Such fine needle work, don't you see?"</p><p>I roll my eyes. "Such an ugly dress, don't you see?"</p><p>My mom slaps my arm and goes back to ironing. A smile creeps across my face and walks to the door and out of the room. The House of Belcourt is bustling with activity, like every reaping morning. And many decorations are splattered around the house, reading my name: CONGRATULATIONS TO GLIMMER! Or: HAPPY REAPING DAY GLIMMER! One even says: PRIDE OF DISTRICT ONE, GLIMMER! </p><p>The reason for this is, is that I graduated early from the training academy here in One, but not only that, I finished early. That means that I will volunteer this year for the Hunger Games, and no one will stop me. It's my absolute dream to participate in these games, they symbolize Panem, our glorious defeat of the rebel districts. Districts One, Two, and parts of Four stood by the Capitol. Therefore, the Capitol rewards us with plentiful riches and food. And the House of Belcourt has been around since then, growing very rich, since we invest in the lumber industry in District 7. The production has been very successful. </p><p>I hurry into my room, snatching the brush from one of the drawers in my vanity. I detangle the knots in my long blonde hair, which brings it to a slightly curly state. A woman in the corner of my room holds a curling iron. As if on queue, she walks over and wraps my first strand of hair around the heated pole. This repeats for about five minutes before she steps back. </p><p>"Thank you." I whisper, before running out of the room again and back to where my mother was. As expected, the ugly dress is hung up against the wall, ready to be put on. Every feeling in my body wants to run away and vomit everything I ate for breakfast this morning, as I read my mom's face, I realize that I don't have a choice. I take off my robe and slip on the dress, and it hugs my curves nicely. I spin once before looking into the mirror. </p><p>"And?" My mother says, expecting a nice comment on the dress. </p><p>"No, it's still hideous." I say. My mom simply ignore the comment, a smile on her face as she hands me a pair of matches flats. And when I mean matching, I MEAN matching. they're both so ugly, I could puke. But like I said I don't really have a choice. So I suck it up and slide my feet into the shoes. I literally look like a small child, and I'm meant to be volunteering for the biggest event of the year! I'm representing my District and I look like a fool. I roll my eyes and storm out the door.</p><p>"She can be such a baby sometimes!" My mother mutters to her sister next to her. "I mean, the dress is marvelous!" </p><p>Once we're outside, the car is waiting for us. I throw open the door and scoot inside, pressing myself against the other door, wishing to be as far away from my mother as I could be, even if it meant falling out of the car. </p><p>++</p><p>"Isn't it so exciting?" Mom says as we exit the car. She's gawking at all this years decoration, awing the vibrant colors, and commenting on the bland parts. She clutching my arm like its a lifeline. So embarrassing, everyone is looking at us, me, this years tributes. I'm going to be the laughing stock of the capitol. And my goal? Prove them wrong.</p><p>That's when I start to feel it- a twisting, sickening feeling inside my stomach that won't leave. I don't know what it is, and as we get closer to the justice building, it grows. I just stop moving eventually and I'm like a brick in the middle of the road. The reaping, it's not exciting. It's not like the earlier years where I watched the older volunteers walk up to the escort or fighting in the bloodbath. No, that's not what I'm thinking about. Not the victory- the failure. </p><p>Even our tributes don't make it home some years. It's the one time it's hard to watch them fight, the gut wrenching feeling of "they won't come home". I remember watching those years, gripping onto a friends arm and watching the female tribute get hacked to pieces. You could say it had an impact on me, knowing that one day I'd volunteer, but I never knew the odds. I can win, I will most likely win. But it's that slim, one percent chance that makes me wobbly. That one chance that someone can end my life with a knife to my throat. And who knows? It could be one of my fellow career allies, or even all of them ganging up on me.</p><p>There's a chance that I won't win.</p><p>A chance that my body will be cold, eyes distant. I won't come home.</p><p>"Glimmer?"</p><p>I shake my head ever so slightly and look up at my mom. "Yeah?"</p><p>"You alright?" She says, brushing a strand of my blonde hair back. "You've been standing there for five minutes"</p><p>"Oh." I cough. "Yeah, uh, sorry. I'm going to go sign in." I point to the makeshift table where two peacekeepers are taking blood and writing names down. I stand in line, waiting until one of them grabs my finger quickly before pricking it and pressing it onto a piece of paper. Another peacekeeper grabs my arm and pulls me into a roped off area for kids my age. The mayor on stage in already reading through the Treaty of Treason, so I'm very late. Not a good impression for the cameras.</p><p>Once he finishes, he folds up the piece of paper he was reading off of, and calls forward our escort, Bella. Bella isn't very consumed in the giant of capitol fashion. Instead, she wears a simple red dress, hitting her knees with a little bit of overflowing tulle. Her hair falls on her shoulders, red streaks lining her hair. She's young, she only started being a district escort two years ago, replacing a fat old woman who screamed too much. </p><p>"Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Welcome to the reaping of the 74th Hunger Games! Such a lovely scene this year, isn't it?" Bella says, glancing at the colors around the square. She gets many nods and agreements from the crowd of anxious children. "Now. Let's get started!" </p><p>She walks over to the first glass bowl on her right, almost overflowing from the paper slips. Bella reaches her gloved hand in, rustling around before pulling one out. That could be mine. It could be anyones.</p><p>"Alright." She mutters, opening the paper. "The female tribute from District One..."</p><p>I take one breath. If it's me, someone will surely volunteer in my place. Not acceptable, but embarrassing. </p><p>"Emerald Diamandis."</p><p>I smile. Perfect. </p><p>Emerald runs out of the crowd and up to the stage, mumbling about how happy she is. Little does she know that everything will go downhill for her. Once she's on stage, Bella turns back to the microphone. "Any volunteers?"</p><p>"I volunteer! Me!" I yell, reaching my hand up at the stage. Anyone else who even dared to volunteer lowers their hands. Bella sees me, and I smile. I'm going in. My dream is coming true.</p><p>"Come up! You!" </p><p>Emerald's expression drops. She stares me down, thumping down the stairs from the stage. I can see her hand creep upwards, ready to slap me square in the face. As it comes up, I grab her hand forcefully and bring it down. </p><p>"Don't."</p><p>"Glimmer, you think you're so great and that you'll win the games, but you're wrong." She growls, loosening my grip.</p><p>"What do you know?"</p><p>She scoffs. "More than you. I know some things that you don't."</p><p>What bullshit. "Like what?"</p><p>"Your death will kill someone you love." She whispers. "In or out of the arena." </p><p>And she walks back into the crowd, but turning her head to her shoulder. "You shouldn't have volunteered, Glimmer. You should've let me. I was doing you a favor." </p><p>What?</p><p>I shake my head, and walk up to the stage. "Now, for the boys." Bella journeys back to the other side of the stage, picking a slip of paper from the massive bowl. She opens the paper on her way back to the microphone. </p><p>"Our male tribute from District One..Marvel Sanford." </p><p>Marvel?!</p><p>He strides out of the crowd and up to the stage, trying to hype the audience up by cheering and basically acting like and idiot. I roll my eyes. I cannot believe that my District partner is a complete bazooka. Great, because there goes my shot of sponsors, all because of some guy who can't act his age.</p><p>Marvel started in the academy two years after me, and I was 12. He had no idea how to use the weapons, which is bad. bad, bad, BAD. At least every child who joins the academy has some sort of knowledge about the tools. After three hours of trying to throw a spear with the instructor, he impaled some kid in the arm by throwing it out of the training area. He's really lucky that it wasn't thrown into his stomach, or he would've been a goner. </p><p>Bella struggles to get him to stand still next to her, and for him to stop yelling. And once she does, she's looking quite distressed. "Okay. Alright. May I present our tributes from District One!"</p><p>The crowd slowly begins to clap, my mom even yells: "thats my daughter!" and so on. I smile and wave as the cameras capture me and marvel. Bella drags us backwards into the justice building eventually, and she leads us to the very back where it connects to the train station.</p><p>"Your parents will meet you here soon. After that, i'll take you to the train where you'll meet your mentors."</p><p>We both nod and wait in silence. only glancing in our direction when we heard a strange noise. </p><p>I waited what seemed like an hour. </p><p>No one came to say goodbye. </p><p>For the second time today, sadness hits me. Of course I'm very excited to travel to the capitol, and my mom can be strange sometimes, but she's my mother. Having her not say goodbye to me is like getting a kickball to the chest, it takes the wind out of me. Not because of the pain, because if the surprise. And if what Emerald said would be true...the only person I really love is my mom.</p><p>Don't. Glimmer, don't. That's no way to be thinking. What you need to be thinking about is winning. Beating the other 23 tributes, and thank the lords this isn't the 2nd Quarter Quell, having double the amount of tributes is even worse. Less odds of winning, even for the careers.</p><p>Marvel doesn't have anyone visit him either. I can't tell if he's upset about it, or if I'm really bad at reading faces. </p><p>Bella walks back into the room. "Are we ready to go?" She scans the room, as if looking for someone else besides Marvel and I. "I think that's a yes!" </p><p>++</p><p>When we enter the train, rows and rows of food and different colored liquids. A table is already set with dinner, and two people, two very familiar people sit around the table, already eating the precious foods laid out in front of them.</p><p>"Cashmere and Gloss." Marvel and I say in unison. Cashmere and Gloss both smile, and give each other knowing glances.</p><p>"Yes." says Cashmere, standing up. "Congratulations on this honor, you two. Now, come sit and eat something. You must be famished from this event." She leads us to the table, pulling out our chairs and handing us our silverware. She also shoos Bella out of the room, and I give a relieved sigh. </p><p>"Thank you." I say softly. </p><p>"Oh, it's nothing." Cashmere replies. "Gloss how's it going?"</p><p>I look over her shoulder to see Gloss fumbling around with some sort of remote control. "Yep. Everything's-" the remote snaps in half, "-fine"</p><p>Marvel starts to laugh, causing a chain reaction with Cashmere and me. Gloss just looks at us with heavy embarrassment. "It's fine, Gloss. Just use this." Cashmere hands him another remote with just one button. "It has the recap of it already downloaded."</p><p>"Recap of what?" Marvel says, taking a sip of a green liquid. </p><p>"The reaping, of course! We do it every year, really helps for advantages to size up your fellow tributes." Cashmere says, popping some sort of sweet in her mouth. "Take a look."</p><p>Gloss hits the button on the control, and the symbol of Panem is sprawled across the screen, before transitioning into District One. There's Emerald be reaped, before I take her place. The short conversation was too quiet to be heard on television, but it was certainly seen. But I take my place on stage with a smile, and then Marvel is reaped. The whole fiasco is shown, even my cringing face. When Bella takes us back, it begins to show District Two. </p><p>A tall boy with ruffled blonde hair jumps forward to volunteer before anyone is reaped, bringing surprise to their brightly colored escort. And no one dared to oppose him. </p><p>When a young, 13 year old girl is reaped, two girls, at the same time, volunteer. Instantly, one of the girls, with light hair and blue eyes simply walks out of the crowd and on her way to the stage, ignoring the other. This obviously angers the other girl, who looks the complete opposite of her. She jumps out behind her. The blonde turns around, which was a bad choice. The other girl gives her a hard uppercut, which knocks the girl flat on her back. The blonde struggles to get up for a few seconds, but stands eventually. She charges at the other girl, tackling her to the ground. Peacekeepers jump out from around the corner, pulling the blonde off of her, but it's not enough for the other. She give the blonde another strong punch to the nose. I can hear the crackling sound of her bones, the blood that splatters out. The blonde has been knocked out, and she's straddled away from the justice square. Then, the winner of the fight straightens out her dress, and walks up to the stage to take her place. </p><p>The escort looks mortified. </p><p>But that girl, the winner of that horrific fight, she's something else. Dark brown hair and sharp eyes like knives, eyes that could kill. What am I compared to her? Dust? No, a District Jewel, you could say, That's what people called me in District One. </p><p>And do knives and jewels go well together?</p><p>I guess I'm about to find out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the train (clove)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After fighting her way to the stage, Clove reminds her mentor, Enobaria, about the advantage she had by beating Alexis Newcraft, who is now unconscious. But, during a conversation with Cato about the tributes who they will face in the arena, Cato mentions a girl from District 12, Katniss Everdeen, who volunteered for the games in place of her sister. A threat to Clove, she has to get rid of her, slowly and painfully.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's not very fun being yelled at by your mentor. Especially one who won the Hunger Games by ripping someone's throat out. I push myself back into my seat, turn my head away from Enobaria's gold-lined teeth. "You made us the laughing stock of Panem! Do you know what this does to us? To you? You are going to lose all chance you ever had at winning-"</p><p>"I graduated from the academy at 15! There's nothing I couldn't take." I snap back, taking Enobaria by surprise.</p><p>"Graduated? No, you never did! You volunteered out of nowhere, it was originally Alexis's place to volunteer! But instead, she's sitting in a hospital unconscious. Crazy girl!"</p><p>I stifled out a laugh. "She deserved it, quite frankly. She cheated on my best friend!"</p><p>"Cato should've never dated that girl in the first place! He should know that out of all people. Love and the Hunger Games don't mix well-"</p><p>"Are you done yet?" Cato calls from the other room, frankly annoyed. "You've been yelling at the poor girl for hours it seems! You're lucky she hasn't stabbed you yet."</p><p>Enobaria slams her fist into the wall, shaking the train car. "Shut it, Cato!" Then, she turns back to me. "I for sure will not forget this shit you pulled us into. If I get fired, it's on you-"</p><p>I shove her arms off of me, standing up from the chair i'd been confined to. "You're taking this too seriously! This is an advantage, Alexis was two years older than me! People will view me as someone intimidating, someone who doesn't take no for an answer. When I win these games," I lower my voice, "people will look up to me. People will fall in line. I will be the greatest victor, and you, you and Brutus will be the greatest mentors of all time!"</p><p>She pauses, stumbling back a bit. She's like a robot, the way her brain has to reset to process the information. "You're no Finnick Odair, but you do have a point. Panem has been lacking that fire. Get ready for bed." As I begin to walk past her, she stops me when I reach her shoulder. "Clove, you can become so much more than a victor. It's about time," Enobaria glances behind herself, as if someone was watching us, "things change around here."</p><p>Change? What could be better than this? I have everything I've ever wanted. My father is safe. I'm in the Hunger Games. I knocked someone out for this opportunity. I'll be a victor in a few weeks, I'm sure of that. I'll be a mentor, teaching new tributes. I don't want that to change, I want that to happen. I bring my hands together, glancing and the floor, and nod. </p><p>"Goodnight."</p><p>+++</p><p>"So, what happened?" Cato leans on the door frame, arms crossed. He wears the same devilish smile the day I met him at the academy. I was throwing knives for the first time, well, actually throwing real daggers for the first time. I was nine, and I was pretty small. I had grown used to throwing in the mountains of District 2 until the wintertime came, my father would make me throw in the basement of our house. Unless you go to the academy or are a Peacekeeper, it's illegal to use weapons, so I had to keep it secret. Having so much range to use without having to make my throws small was intimidating. But Cato was the first person to ever talk to me, and for a strange reason. During my first few days, I would see him throw, at least try to throw. So, when he came to me for help, I couldn't have been happier. And here we are, on the train to the Capitol. </p><p>And for me to win, he has to die.</p><p>But those thoughts are for later.</p><p>"Enobaria kept yelling at me until I told her that it would be an advantage. Nothing more to that." I lie and smile. "Did you watch the tapes with Brutus?"</p><p>"Yea." He saunters over to the bed, sitting up next to me. "The stereotypical allies, though Brutus did like the guy from District 11. Says I should go for him."</p><p>"He's from an outlined District, Cato," I say quickly, focusing on the papers and papers of strategies Enobaria and Brutus gave me. "He'll want to show up the Capitol. We couldn't trust him."</p><p>"Whatever. Some girl from District 12 volunteered for her sister or something, you should've seen-"</p><p>I flit my eyes up, a fire burning through me. "What?" My tone is dangerous, anyone could detect that. No one, and I mean no one, steals the show from me. Not even to save some sister's life. It's Obnoxious, the attention she'll gain from that. Probably more than some psychopath who beat up a girl in order to be in the games. </p><p>"I shouldn't have told you that," Cato whispers, fidgeting with his fingers. </p><p>"No, you should've." I push myself off the bed and out the door, Cato following. "Show me the goddamn tape."</p><p>"No need, they're probably reviewing it live." He turns the TV on. </p><p>Behind the suttle static, I can hear Ceasar Flickerman's voice. "And here we have Miss Katniss Everdeen from District 12, stepping forward to volunteer. But this is no normal volunteer situation- Miss. Everdeen here is volunteering for her 12-year-old sister, Primrose. Is that correct?" He whispers off to the side. "Ah, it is. The Sponsor System isn't up for the next two days, but the polls are showing us that she is the current favorite. And right behind them, the pair from District Two, Clove Taylor, and Cato Hadley. Especially Miss Clove, who got into a physical brawl with a girl named, according to our sources, Alexis Newcraft."</p><p>The anger boils inside of me, needing to come out. My throat feels like it's on fire, aching to scream. Instead of doing that, my arms find the heaviest object in the room, which happens to be a vase, and I smash it onto the floor. Pieces of ceramic fly through the air, scraping my arms and barely missing Cato. The train car shakes the slightest while I pace around the room, knowing that Enobaria will have another go at me.</p><p>"Clove-"</p><p>"I'm sorry. I just," I pause to find the right choice of words, "lost it." I start to tremble and walk towards the door. Might as well get the hell out of here and get some sleep. </p><p>I reach my room before the tears start to flow, and I throw the papers off my bed through anger. I'm reaching for the next glass object until I pause, staring around the room. Papers everywhere knocked over flower vases and mirrors. I destroyed everything I touched. I shakily place the glass back onto the cabinet and slide down the side of my bed. It keeps happening, these anger outbursts. I'm not aware of anything, not even my own actions. This demon on my shoulder takes over and nothing can stop it until I can. I usually can't. </p><p>That stupid Katniss girl. Stupid me. This is all my fault. All because I got jealous of a girl from an Outlined District. She won't even survive the first day, but with the line of sponsors, I quiver. She's in the way of everything. Everything: My victory. My family. My mentorship. I have to do something, something important. Unforgettable. I've beat someone to be a volunteer, now what's the next step? I need to create a name for myself, a brutal one at that. If I could get to her first, which I'm almost certain I will, I will make her die the most painful death. </p><p>I will torture her If I have to.</p><p>I grin, and pull myself up onto the bed. I don't bother to change, It's not like the Capitol would care, and tuck myself under the soft, silky sheets. These outbursts can lead to my best ideas.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hey yall! i haven't written in a while so I thought I'd get back to it, especially for this fic. I'm sorry for this chapter, I wrote it during school out of boredom so it's literally so rushed and awful. and I'm sorry for the wait, hopefully, i can update again!!</p><p>much luv,</p><p>maya&lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. welcome to the capitol (glimmer)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The gleaming Capitol comes into Glimmer's view, and immediately she knows what's at stake. In the next few days, her life depends on the way she presents herself. She can't screw up until she meets her.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry that this is so bad and so short, i really wanted to get out a new chapter asap. ilysm&lt;3</p><p>-maya</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I must've forgotten to close the blinds last night because the light that leaks into my incredible sleep was blinding. I groan and slam myself into my pillow, which like all things on this train, is so comfortable. But after five minutes, I figure that just staying here will ultimately leave me in a situation that will be very embarrassing. </p><p>"Glimmer?" Bella calls in a timid voice, knocking on my door. "Glimmer, you're gonna be late for breakfast. You've got a whole day ahead of you."</p><p>"I'm coming! I'm coming!" I croak, rolling off the bed and landing on the floor with one loud thump. "I'm coming!"</p><p>"Alright, I'll see you soon," says Bella, before her heels sound farther down the hallway. I stand up shakily and head over to the wardrobe at the other side of the room. Inside the drawers, I find lots of gray clothes and not a single streak of color. And we're in the Capitol, interesting.</p><p>I throw on a silky gray top, which wraps around my neck, and simply drops to my waist. My arms have complete air. I then choose a pair of black pants and shove my old and ugly reaping dress under the bed. Hopefully, no one finds it.</p><p>Good riddance, if you ask me. </p><p>I brush my knotted hair as much as I can, and I only manage to pull it back into a low bun. An Avox actually comes by, handing me another gray box along with a note. Wow, gray. Lots and lots of gray. Very interesting. I roll my eyes and sit down on the foot of the bed, opening the letter.</p><p>Consider it a gift, Glimmer. Obviously, it won't last long, hence you're joining into the arena soon.<br/>Sorry I didn't see you off. You know how I can be :)<br/>- Mother</p><p>My Mother?</p><p>I then open the box.</p><p>A pair of shoes.</p><p>It literally could have been anything else, I swear, she can't be sane. But the pink slippers fall into my hands, and I run my fingers over the satin. It's a pop of color, you may say. At least I do. So I slide them onto my feet and stand up. They fit perfectly as if I'd been measured for this. The Capitol, the games, my unlikely death, and it all goes back to a pair of shoes? The last memory of the only person I'm sure of I love. Yes, I've hooked up with a few guys, but never something serious. I've never felt someone's arms around me, only my mothers. And now, she gives me a pair of shoes that I won't remember in four days- I'll be hacking away the other tributes, and I won't have to worry about getting the stupid shoes dirty. </p><p>My hands circle back to my shoes, and I throw them into the corner. </p><p>I choose a nice pair of silver ones from the closet instead. </p><p>+++</p><p>"Good Morning, Glimmer." Cashmere says, poking around in her food. "Did you get the box from your mother?"</p><p>I nod, sitting down across from her. "Yes. I did. Wasn't important."</p><p>"Seemed like it-she ran down to the train station to give it to me. The woman was half crying, she kept muttering apologize to me." Gloss pipes in. "But that's beside the point. We're almost in the Capitol, so one step closer to the games. Obviously, you're going to have allies, correct?"</p><p>I try to find Marvel's eyes and nod. "Yeah, why not?"</p><p>"Great. We're great friends with Enobaria and Brutus, the two victors and mentors from District 2. They've got very built tributes this year, especially the girl. You know, the one who fought that other girl at the reaping. You'll both have a great shot with them. But the boy from District 2's no good. 12 or 13 years old. Try for the girl, her name is Marina. The few times I've been to District 4, I've seen her in training," Gloss pauses to drink a class of mysterious liquid, "she can throw an ax as far as Marvel can shoot a spear."</p><p>"I thought they used tridents down there?" Marvel says. </p><p>"District 4's academy expanded a lot more," Cashmere responds, "but that doesn't matter. Today, you'll have the tributes parade. Your prep team will be entirely obnoxious, but your job is to just do what they say. It'll be easier that way. I remember for my victory tour, all I wanted to do is to poke their eyes out with my knife." She laughs menacingly, and I press myself to the back of my chair, frightened. Cashmere then stands and heads over to the window. "Ah, we're here! Take a look."</p><p>I push myself to the window, pressing my hand against the glass. I give out a slight gasp, the towers are blinding, taller than ever. The training center looks exactly like it does on TV- glorious. The domes over the water, the small bright figures that walk on the roads, it all looks like a dream. I even pinch myself, just in case. </p><p>But my view becomes blocked when we enter the train station when I hear the deafening cheers of the Capitol citizens. I begin to smile, everything is coming full circle. Nothing can stop me now, right?</p><p>We come to a halt, and before I know it, I'm being shoved out the door by Cashmere. </p><p>"Be bold, Glimmer." She whispers in my ear. </p><p>People toss flowers and kisses into the air, they scream our names. District One is already very popular, I can imagine people lining up around the block just to sponsor me. So, I take the suggestion from Cashmere and being to shake hands down the line, signing autographs from little children. I take a few pictures, and I receive a few glares from Bella. </p><p>"Glimmer, we are running late. Come on, don't be an embarrassment." She hisses under her breath. </p><p>"When I'm Victor, Bella, you'll be famous because of me. So, start showing some respect." I retort and walk in front of her. She's stunned for about five seconds, and then she whispers something into Cashmere's ear. </p><p>"Let's go, Marvel, Glimmer." A car is parked in front of the train station, ready to take us to the training center. But my attention is turned to the train that has just arrived, catching heads from the crowd. Brutus and Enobaria are the first to step out, followed by a tall blonde and her- Clove, that's what my mentors called her. Time seems to slow down as we make eye contact. A feeling that I've never felt before stirs up in me, butterflies are in my stomach. My legs can't support me anymore and I feel like falling through the floor. I don't know what this is. All I can tell is that its warmth, homey, like a fire crackling in the wintertime. I don't want to let go of this feeling.</p><p>"Glimmer?"</p><p>"Sorry," I say quickly, bringing my head forward into the car. I squish up against Marvel and lean my head back against the plush seat. Rubbing my face, I realize only one thing.</p><p>This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hii</p><p>thank you so much for reading my clovexglimmer fan fiction! its really different from what I usually write, considering i don't really write about "non canon" ships. but now i can say, GLOVE IS MY NEW HEAD CANONN! (besides clato ofc) and i really hope you guys keep reading because i really enjoyed writing this! i really hope you like it doe&gt;:) lmao I need to drink some coffee and go to bed now, so uh byee!!</p><p>ily&lt;33</p><p>-maya</p></blockquote></div></div>
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